


absolutely smitten

by pastel_paperclips



Category: Ever After High
Genre: Awkward Crush, Bad Matchmaking, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, Female Friendship, Fluff and Humor, Gay Panic, High School, Internalized Homophobia, Kissing, Light Angst, Love Confessions, Male-Female Friendship, Matchmaker Raven, Matchmaking, Misunderstandings, Multi, Oblivious, Post-TV Special: Dragon Games, Second Kiss, Secret Crush, Some Plot, Surprise Party, Tea Parties, Teen Romance, Teenagers, True Love's Kiss, Underage Drinking, Useless Lesbians, hell yeah
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:27:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25354741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pastel_paperclips/pseuds/pastel_paperclips
Summary: "Curses!" Apple panicked, a perfectly curled strand of blonde hair popping out of place. "I forgot my thronework!""Here," Darling whispered behind them. Apple turned to see her paper held by her future sister-in-law. From this angle, she had the same jawline as her brother, Apple mused. "You left it in the library.""Thank you so much," she smiled up at the other girl. "You really saved me."Briar slammed her head into her book.Or: Apple really needs to speak to Daring about their future, but she just keeps getting distracted by his sister!
Relationships: Ashlynn Ella/Hunter Huntsman, Briar Beauty & Apple White, Briar Beauty/Hopper Croakington II, Bunny Blanc/Alistair Wonderland, Daring Charming & Darling Charming & Dexter Charming, Darling Charming/Apple White, Raven Queen & Apple White, Rosabella Beauty/Daring Charming
Comments: 19
Kudos: 250





	absolutely smitten

**Author's Note:**

> title from dodie's [absolutely smitten](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyMbqu1lj84) (which is both a great song and recommended listening for this)
> 
> playlist for this: [:)](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5KG5RSQVTrCkl6KXfPpUGw)
> 
> idk, i just really like the idea of darling somehow always being there to 'save' apple

“Please bring me your thronework!” the White Queen chorused, waving an elegant hand through the air. Apple White smiled to herself, she was confident she’d get another A - those hours studying in the library can’t have been for nothing!

The room grumbled, Ashlynn Ella glumly munching on a pretty pink chocolate as she cracked open her full binder and Lizzie Hearts sneering down at what looked like an origami swan. She flicked it and it unfurled into her essay.

Briar Beauty groaned, digging through her bag and pulling out a crumpled piece of paper complete with drool marks. “Massive fairy fail,” she whispered. “I could barely get past the introduction.”

“Only because you lost your hextbook,” Apple teased. “All the answers were in Chapter 682.” She hesitated, hand hovering over her empty satchel. Her eyes widened. “Oh curses!” she panicked, a perfectly curled strand of hair popping out of place. “I don’t have my assignment!”

“Hey,” someone whispered behind them.

Apple turned to see Darling Charming holding her Princessology notebook with a carefree grin. From this angle, she had the same jawline as her brother, Apple mused.

“You left it in the library.”

“Thank you so much, Darling,” she smiled up at the other girl. “You really saved me.”

Briar ran a hand down her face.  _ Maybe she was tired? _

“No problem,” Darling flushed and she quickly turned back to the board. Apple frowned slightly, only moving back around when Briar tugged at her sleeve.

“Apple, you’re killing me here,” she stressed. Apple’s face fell.

“Oh godmother, does she hate the idea of saving people? I know that rebels can be a little touchy about those things-”

Briar held up a hand. “Apple, for me, stop talking.  _ Please _ .” 

Obediently, Apple stopped, peering curiously at her best friend forever after. 

A few seconds passed. 

“Is this about Hopper?” 

Briar’s head slammed into the desk.

“Uh, Apple?” Briar asked. 

“Yes?” She turned to her best-friend-forever-after, a cheerful smile on her face.

“You ever considered that  _ maybe  _ Daring isn’t your prince after all? I mean…”

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Apple gushed. “I’ve known that Daring was my Prince Charming since we played together at Charming Castle as nursery rhymes.”

Briar’s expression went funny and Apple blinked at her. “Was there anyone  _ else  _ on these playdates? Hypothetically?”

“Hmm,” Apple tapped her chin with a newly manicured finger in the shade ‘smile brighter!’. “I suppose Dexter sometimes joined us, though mainly he stayed in their library,” she giggled. “I don’t think he was quite used to being around princesses.”

Briar looked like she was going to cry. “Don’t they have  _ another _ sibling?”

“Oh, Darling!” Apple laughed. “Of course, we sometimes played together - two princesses should always be friends! - but,” Apple hesitated, chewing on her lip. Luckily for her, she only made it plumper and redder. “I don’t think she liked me very much,” she whispered, looking guilty.

Briar frowned. “What makes you say that?”

“Well,” Apple winced before carrying on. “She would always go red with anger whenever I hugged her, maybe she didn’t like touching, and I remember she was really pouty and annoyed-” she demonstrated this expression and a nearby songbird immediately perched itself on her shoulder to cheer her up. “Whenever I talked about Daring, or went to hang out with Daring, or was even in the same room as Daring! I think she was jealous that she couldn’t play with him when I was around, you know how close the Charming siblings are… 

“Oh! One time, I gave her a thronemade birthday present that I’d spent hard work and time on: it was a necklace with an apple charm and a sword to symbolize the union of our two families, you know for when Daring and I get married, and she hated it so much she ran out of the room and avoided me for the rest of the day!” She smiled at Briar. “Does that answer your question?”

Briar blinked at her, mouth open. “Oh. My. Godmother.” 

She sighed, taking a quick swig of what looked like Fairyberry Soda but smelt more like one of the potions Faybelle Thorn sold behind the Grimnasium (namely: abhorrent). Apple shrugged and went back to scrolling through her phone, but not before hearing Briar murmur something that sounded an awful lot like ‘Darling, I’m so sorry’.

“Hey, Raven?” Apple squeezed her pillow closer to her chest, gazing at the picture of her parents on her bedside table.

Her roommate glanced at her from across their dorm, pen scratching to a stop.

“I’ve finished my story, haven't I?” Apple asked. Raven took a headphone out. “So why don’t I feel like I’m living my happily ever after?”

“Well,” Raven hummed, tapping her pen against her chin. “Fairytales are always exaggerated. I don’t think you have to be happy  _ all  _ the time. Not even Maddie’s happy every day!”

Apple gasped.

“But what I’m saying is you shouldn’t feel pressured to smile and laugh and,” she shuddered playfully. “Be  _ nice _ .”

Apple giggled. “I like being nice.”

“Doesn’t mean you owe it to people,” Raven shrugged, smiling down at her notebook. “People are trolls.” 

They both laughed quietly before Raven suddenly got the serious look that Apple half-loved (sometimes she wished some of Raven’s determination would rub off on her) and half-hated (it reminded her of Legacy Day and the terror and fear she’d been battling since that awful, awful night because what  _ if  _ they all went poof and everyone she loved died and because Raven was the one to cause it maybe they’d go first and everyone would have to deal with things on their own and what if they managed to fix it but her and Raven were already gone and  _ oh, this is probably what Briar meant went she said Apple was overthinking _ ).

“Apple?” 

The blonde looked back up at her. 

“We aren’t our parents. You don’t need to fall in love with your Prince Charming.”

She was looking at Apple like there was something in that sentence that was supposed to click in her mind and make everything alright again.

Raven’s pen slipped off her paper, ink dripping onto her sheets. “Oh, hexes-”

Apple sighed, burying herself back into her blankets. She  _ wanted  _ to fall in love with her Prince Charming. She’d already met him (Hadn’t she? Hadn’t she known him since they were mere nursery rhymes?) but he’d scarpered before she’d woken, leaving her staring up at Darling’s shining light crystal blue eyes in the middle of a fairytale pixie clearing complete with the flowered coffin and golden sun. 

That moment had felt so utterly…  _ charming _ .

“I think I need to talk to Daring,” Apple decided, resolute. Raven grinned at her. 

“Good luck, roomie.”

The next day, Apple set her shoulders, fluffed her hair and nodded to herself in the mirror. She was going to talk to her Prince Charming, face to face, and he would apologise for acting like a villain and avoiding her, admitting that it had all been a ploy so he could arrange their engagement party with Briar, which would then explain why  _ she  _ had been acting so peculiar, followed by him promptly getting down on one knee. She exhaled.

“You finished gazing lovingly at your reflection?” Raven teased, holding the door open. “We need to get to Chemythstry.”

Apple raised her chin. “Let’s go.”

Much to her dismay, she had failed to take her schedule into account and therefore shared the precise number of  _ no  _ classes with Daring that day. So she waited for lunch. 

“Daring?” Sparrow Hood asked, chewing through a dense blackbird pie. “He’s at some nature thing with the Beauty girl.”

_ He’s planning the engagement party with Briar! _ part of Apple’s mind squealed.  _ I knew it! _

“Daring?” Briar interrupted her daydream. “Why are you looking for Daring?”

“So I can talk to him about being my Prince Charming,” Apple smiled at her, brushing off her disappointment. Maybe they were already back and Sparrow just hadn’t noticed. “You know-”

“Daring’s your Prince Charming?” Pie fell out of Sparrow’s mouth to splatter across his bowl. “But I thought…”

He glanced at Briar who shrugged, looking rather defeated. “It's a whole thing.”

“I’ll never understand princesses, dude,” Sparrow shovelled in another mouthful of pie. “While you’re here though-” he pulled out his unholy guitar. “Like these chords?”

Lunch may have not worked, Apple conceded to herself but she wouldn’t give up hope yet! Godmother, she was really hoping that some of Raven’s determination had decided to grant her pity. 

“Uh, the Bookball team’s got a match at Gingerbread High,” Cerise Hood yelled over her shoulder. “We’ll be back at like 7 this evening?”

“Thank you!” Apple tried to yell back but the thought of disturbing any of the people there made her shudder. At 7 then, she reassured herself.

When the school bell finally rang, Apple bolted upright, rushing to her locker. Only 3 hours until she could see her Prince Charming!

The hallways were so evilly packed at this time of day, she noted, making a mental memo to discuss the circulation issues at the next Royal Student Council meeting.

“Oh!” she stumbled into someone’s back, only for Darling to turn around and beam at her.

“Hey, Apple!”

“Good afternoon!” Apple smiled back. To tell the truth, it was hard not to when the youngest Charming looked so honestly pleased to see her. “How was your day?”

“Better now,” Darling laughed before freezing. “Well, I just came from Geografairy so you’re a breath of fresh air - not that you aren’t anyway! It's always hexcellent to see you!” she bit her lip. “Sorry. Uh.”

Apple giggled. “It's hexcellent to see you too, Darling.” The hallways were starting to clear and they could walk safely side by side to their lockers.

“So,” Darling said, tilting her head side to side. “Are you going to Briar’s Spring Cleaning Party? The festival’s always kind of dull, isn’t it?”

Apple nodded, cradling her books. “I  _ love  _ cleaning personally but it's so dreadfully unfair that some stories are celebrated while others aren’t! I would love to have a festival for Blondie’s tale - everyone eating porridge and wearing rustically charming dresses would be so hexciting! - but instead, we have days where we all eat apples!” Apple pulled a face. “If anything, it's a drain on our resources and by planting more apple trees we’re damaging the wildlife that had already been present in those fields, leaving them homeless and without the food they’d been able to enjoy before.”

“Absolutely,” Darling agreed. “I mean where’s the love for Cedar’s family? I can’t imagine being made of wood.”

The two of them fell into a surprisingly comfortable silence, their arms occasionally brushing. Eventually, they reached Apple’s locker, waving at Poppy O’Hair.

Apple opened it, carefully transferring her hextbooks before one slipped out of her grasp.

“I got it,” Darling dropped to the ground, offering it up to the other blonde, one knee on the cold tiles.

Across the hall, Poppy spat out her drink. 

Apple blinked at her, wondering if there was something bad in it and if she needed to press an investigation to make sure her friend wasn’t in any danger before a swarm of birds and boys jumped in to ‘save’ her from the hallway.

“Silly eyes,” she murmured, trying to calm down the crowd. Darling stared up at her, still on the floor. “I’m fine, it was just a-”

There was the gleam of light in the bottom of her vision before she felt the air around her slow down.

There was the faint sensation of someone’s hands on her waist and the woosh of a breeze before suddenly she was hit with the glare of the sun and bright blue sky from outside the school.

“Oh,” she stated, trying to move before realising she was currently nestled in Darling’s arms in the proper princess style they had been made to practise in Damsel-in-Distressing. Maybe Maid Marian  _ was _ onto something… 

She looked up and the other princess shrugged at her, a smile tugging at her lips. If Apple didn’t know better, she’d say Darling was flirting with her. “Sorry about the whole ‘time slowing’ thing but you looked like you wanted to leave.”

“You were right,” Apple giggled, giddy from the turn of events. She didn’t move to be let down and Darling didn’t look like she wanted to let her go either.

There was a flash. 

Both girls looked to where C.A. Cupid was standing guiltily with her MirrorPad clearly acting as a camera. “Sorry, you two looked spelltacularly adorable. Um,” her gaze drifted to where Darling was glaring at her. “Maybe it's one for the mantelpiece?”

Apple noticed Darling’s discomfort and nudged her shoulder. “We do make a pretty good team.”

Darling blinked down at her, glare disappearing. “Do you really think so?”

“I do,” Apple promised. “I mean, if we played Dragon Games together we would definitely beat all the others,” she laughed. Darling laughed too, nervousness starting to infect her tone.

“Hey, Apple?” Darling asked. “Can I ask you something? About your story?”

Apple nodded immediately, breath caught. “Anything.” 

The air around them felt like it was swirling, magic particles gathering around their bodies and pushing them closer to each other. It felt like they were the only two people-

Cupid sighed loudly, looking rather spellbound. Darling huffed out a frustrated breath and Cupid flushed. “Sorry!” 

“Oh, I should,” Darling placed Apple down awkwardly, backing away. “Maybe we could…”

For a second, they just stared at each other.

“Wanna get Hocus Lattes?” Darling settled on, smiling sheepishly at her, and suddenly all thoughts of Daring spiralled out of her mind.

“I’d love that,” Apple smiled back at the other princess.

“How did it go with Daring?” Raven asked. Apple slapped a hand into her forehead. 

“Curses!” 

She’d try again tomorrow.

“Have you happened to see Daring anywhere?” Apple asked the three little pigs. Further down the corridor, Rosabella’s locker slammed shut, the brunette staring at it in disbelief.

“Apple!” Maddie Hatter poked her head out of a random locker, bounding over to her. “I swear, all I hear these days is ‘Apple this, Apple that’,” she giggled, casually pouring three cups of tea and handing two of them to Apple. “And here I thought you and Raven were  _ both  _ main characters!” she leant in to whisper into Apple’s ear. “I think this narrator likes you more than Raven.”

Apple smiled benevolently. “I’m sure they’re completely impartial,” she assured the other girl, even though she had no idea what Maddie was talking about. After all, that’s what a good queen did! Maddie raised a doubtful eyebrow, glancing upwards.

“Right.” 

“Maddie, don’t disappear like that,” Raven sighed, trying to carry four boxes of hats down the hallway. She looked up and saw Apple, lighting up. “How’s the search for Prince Charming?”

“Frightfully unsuccessful,” Apple sighed. “I got completely side-tracked yesterday talking to Darling and I don’t have any idea where he could be today!”

Rosabella’s locker let out a miserable groan. Raven coughed into her hand, shoddily covering her grin.

“Hmm,” Maddie darted forward to squeeze Apple’s cheeks together. “Does the seed stay in the summit of the sword sheathed in the sunshine of the saviour? It's a yes or no question.”

Apple slowly shook her head, confused. “I don’t think so.”

Maddie burst into tears, throwing herself at Raven. “She doesn’t think so! I thought they were meant to be!”

Apple glanced at Raven who promptly looked away, embarrassed.

“Riddlish, you know.”

“The sword,” Apple murmured to herself. “Well, the seed is either me or our love and the sword must show who my Prince charming is! It just  _ has  _ to be Daring! Thank you, Maddie!” she clasped the other girl’s hands in her own (the teacups had transported themselves to Maddie’s shoulders and Apple wasn’t quite sure how to tell her).

“Maybe he’ll be in Book End,” Raven suggested, quickly covering Maddie’s mouth. “You should check there next.”

“Why Book End?” she heard Maddie whisper.

“Because that’s where I last saw her,” Raven answered. Apple frowned.  _ Her? _

She walked away, smiling at Rosabella, who looked like she was complaining to her locker, trying to pull it open. It seemed to be putting up a fight. The brunette waved awkwardly at her before kicking the pink metal. “You need to talk,” she hissed at the locker. Apple politely decided not to get involved.

Twenty-three minutes later and Apple was strolling through the village of Book End, keeping an eye out for the eldest Charming sibling. 

“Apple!” Bunny Blanc called out from the Hocus Latte. “Come have a drink!”

And how could Apple say no to that invitation?

At this time of day, the coffee shop was full of students and the rare unfortunate barista (she could see Faybelle grumbling over the coffee pot on the corner of the counter). Bunny motioned her over to a small table in the corner surrounded by their peers. Once she’d waved to everyone, she ordered a traditional Hocus Caramel Apple Latte and joined her two friends by the window.

“What are you doing in Book End?” Bunny asked, ears twitching cutely. Alistair Wonderland was reclined next to her, frowning down at the chess game on MirrorPad.

“I’m looking for Daring,” Apple told them easily. “You haven’t seen him, have you?”

They looked at each other before shaking their heads. “I’ve seen  _ Darling _ ,” Alistair offered, looking a little put-out when Apple shook her head determinedly. Maybe Raven really  _ was  _ rubbing off on her.

“I can’t speak to Darling or I’ll absolutely get distracted again,” she sighed.

Alistair nodded wisely. “I completely understand,” he smiled at Bunny. “Sometimes it feels like they’re the only thing that matters.”

Bunny giggled, burrowing into his shirt. Apple didn’t quite understand what he was talking about, but she was happy that they were happy.

“Apple, are you any good at chess?” Alistair wondered, back to squinting at his game. “Redford shouldn’t be getting the best of me!”

“He’s probably getting Courtly to help him,” Bunny mumbled, dozing off. Alistair gasped. “It's one of her mandatory rehabilitation activities.”

“Hey Apple,” Melody Piper chimed in, leaning back on her seat across the room to join the conversation. “Why’d you need Daring?”

“Well,” Apple wound a lock of hair around her finger. “We simply need to discuss some things about our story.”

The entire shop halted. 

“ _ Your  _ story? Like yours and Daring’s?” Bunny asked, suddenly wide awake.

Apple glanced around herself, everyone staring at her. “Yes?” 

Wordlessly, Ginger Breadhouse gave her a tray of shortbread.

“Thank you?”

Ginger nodded, rubbing her temples. “I’m so confused,” she whispered. The others nodded in agreement, still staring at Apple.

“Look,” Melody twirled her headphones around her wrist. “If you’re looking for Daring, who else would know but his siblings? Now, I don’t know where Dexter is but I  _ do  _ know for a fact that Darling will be out on the Heroics’ grounds.” She put her headphones back on, all eyes on her. “Just a thought, though.”

All eyes turned back to Apple.

The blonde hummed, considering the proposal. If she was perfectly honest, which she always was, seeing Darling seemed like an absolutely charming plan.

“Hexcellent idea, Melody!” Apple clapped her hands together. “I’ll go and find her now!”

As soon as she left, the shop exploded into confusion.

Hopper Croakington II straightened as she approached the training grounds, clearly standing guard. “If you’re looking for Daring he is  _ not  _ here,” the prince told her. “So you should definitely leave.” His eyes darted down to the picnic basket she’d picked up from the Castleteria. It was bad manners to show up uninvited without some sort of peace offering! “Please?” he squeaked.

“I didn’t come for Daring,” Apple flushed delicately. Looking back on it, she should have seized his words and realised that Daring actually  _ was _ there despite Hopper’s best efforts to conceal it but in that moment of knowing she was so close to speaking to Darling, common sense seemed to have bought seven Hawaiian shirts and taken an impromptu trip down to the Sea Kingdom. “But could you please tell Darling I’m here?”

“Oh,” Hopper’s eyes widened. “Oh-I-well-”

He poofed.

“My fair lady,” Hopper the Frog declared. “It would be my greatest pleasure to sing sonnets of your presence to the delightful Lady Charming in the hopes that the two of you may one day be able to find your true happily-”

Someone cleared their throat.

“Hi Apple,” Dexter Charming waved at her. She waved back, even though they were less than two metres apart. “Uh, Darling’s over there,” he indicated a cave that looked out over the village of Book End. It looked like a positively  _ charming  _ place for a picnic, Apple beamed.

“Let me escort you, my lady,” Hopper the Frog hopped along the path, leaving Apple with no choice but to follow him. 

“Thank you,” she smiled back at Dexter who’d already rushed off, likely to where Daring must have been hibernating.

“My fair maiden!” Hopper the Frog chorused.

“Stop calling me that,” a perfectly tired voice came from the cave before Darling came out to see them, water soaking her skirt and mud over her hands. There was a smear of armour grease on her left cheek.

Apple’s smile could have melted the Snow King’s palace.

“Good afternoon,” she exclaimed, clapping her hands together and accidentally summoning a deer. After giving the creature oodles of love and attention, she turned back to the other blonde. “I was wondering if you wanted to have a picnic together,” she lifted up the basket and Darling blinked at it.

Belatedly, she cursed, grabbing a nearby breastplate to conceal her dirty skirt. “Uh, sure, just give me a second to clean-”

“It's fine,” Apple reassured her, so eager to calm the other girl she’d forgotten her mother’s golden rule of never interrupting (It made you look rude and uncivilised. That was a little hard to remember though when Darling was looking at her like she was the Faerie Queene.). “I don’t mind.”

Darling glanced at Hopper the Frog, who attempted to give her a thumbs-up without opposable thumbs. “Sure, then. Absolutely.” Slowly, she put the breastplate down.

“Now, my beautiful princess,” Hopper the Frog jumped in. “I must ask one small favour of you before I leave.”

“Oh, of course,” Apple bent down, puckering her lips. 

“No!” Hopper the Frog scrambled away and Apple’s eyes widened. He turned to Darling like she was going to fight him. “I merely wished for you to inform the,” he interrupted himself to sigh adoringly. “Beauty of Briar that I was able to purchase two tickets for the Tailor Quick concert she wished to display her radiance at, two moons from now.”

Apple giggled. “I’m sure she’d love to go with you, Hopper,” she patted his head. “Write her a poem or…” she trailed off, eyeing his decidedly non-opposable thumbs. “Can you write like this in your human form?”

Hopper the Frog let out a theatrical croak. “I shall prevail anyway, for my love for her is as strong as the moon’s desire to chase the sun and the stars’ ability to glow even in the deep shadows of the night!”

They watched him hop away, glancing at each other and laughing.

“They’re sweet,” Apple sighed, following Darling out to the outcrop by the cliff’s edge. She offered her a bottle of water, which Darling took gratefully, cracking it open. “I hope one day he’ll be able to speak to her without any issue.” She skipped over the piles of metal, gazing at the intricate designs. “Were you cleaning your armour?”

“Yep,” Darling smiled at her over her shoulder, approaching a series of soapy buckets. As Apple watched, she retrieved her helmet from one, quickly shining it with her skirt, uncaring of the dirt, and placed it in the next.

“Can I help?” Apple offered, examining the liquids. If she had to guess, it looked like a solution of organic calcium salt and 1-Decene, dimer, hydrogenated.

“Oh, you don’t have to,” Darling pulled the helmet out, shaking out the leftover liquid and splattering dirty water over herself. She wrapped it in a clean muslin cloth and placed it carefully with a set of other cleaned items. “Here, we can have our,” she glanced down at the picnic basket again like she wasn’t quite sure it was real. She took another sip of her water. “Picnic, and I’ll deal with all this later.”

“Don’t worry!” Apple dropped to the ground in a flurry of petticoats and frills. “It might be useful for when I clean my Prince Charming’s armour in the future!”

Darling choked on her water. “Uh-yeah-maybe,” she wheezed, hitting her chest and spitting up the drink. 

“So what does this do?” Apple asked, picking up a small grey bottle.

“Um,” Darling took the bottle from her and handed her a metal armguard. “You could clean this? I’m sorry, it's grimy, you probably don’t want to, it’ll get you dirty-” she tried to pull the metal back but Apple’s grip didn’t budge. “Uh, Apple,” she tugged it again.

“Nope,” Apple smiled sweetly. Darling started to flush again. “I want to help!”

“Right,” Darling exhaled. “You need to use this soap to get rid of the initial mud,” she pointed at the first bucket. “If the mud doesn’t budge after a quick soak, you can use this cloth to rub at it, and for any detailed designs, use this cloth, then bathe it in this, leaving it for about ten minutes before moving it to the next and leaving it there for five minutes, then you rinse it out here before using this to make it shiny,” she waved a cloth through the air. It smelt like apples.

“What was the grey bottle for?”

Darling laughed. “That was Daring’s hair gel. I usually use his things.”

Apple nodded studiously, starting to clean the mud off the armguard. Some of the water splashed up onto her silk skirt but she ignored it. She didn’t really want to interrupt the peace she’d found with Darling to ask her about her brother.

“What did you think about that Kingdom Management class?” she asked instead.

“The White Queen drives me mad,” Darling sighed. “All she talks about is the Royals and how they should ensure peace with other kingdoms - there’s nothing about keeping the peace within your  _ own  _ kingdom.”

“They learn it in Kingdom Mismanagement,” Apple agreed. “Well, I mean technically they learn the opposite but how hard could it be to turn it around! We need to learn more about taxes too, it's one of the biggest topics of debate in Ever After and it makes me so sick that people can just take the money that should go into improving conditions in poorer neighbourhoods.”

“Hexactly,” Darling stressed, eyes wide. “They could start by building more schools to educate the people in lower classes and professions, then build more medical centres, while also focusing on cultivating a more diverse range of professionals. I mean, not everyone has a storybook destiny to live out. Some people just have normal lives that they need to be able to  _ live _ , no matter what the heroes and villains are doing.”

Apple nodded in agreement and they fell back into a comfortable silence only interrupted by the water sloshing around them and the clink of them exchanging armour pieces every now then. 

Apple had the sneaking suspicion that they had already finished cleaning all of Darling’s pieces and she’d stolen some from the other heroes, but if she’d found an excuse for them to stay there, Apple wasn’t going to ruin it.

She started to hum, a tune that had been stuck in her head all day, the noises becoming words as she sung softly to herself. 

“ _ Princess, you light up my world like nobody else,  _

_ The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed, _

_ But when you smile at the ground it isn’t hard to tell, _

_ You don’t know, oh-oh, _

_ You don’t know you’re charming…”  _ she trailed off, realising the air was quiet.

She glanced at Darling and gasped lightly.

The other princess was staring at her, clearly enraptured. 

She cursed, gently shaking Darling’s shoulder and relaxing when she snapped out of it. “I’m so sorry,” she scrunched up her nose. “Usually it only affects boys and animals.”

“Yeah, I noticed that part,” Darling rubbed the back of her neck.

Apple blinked, following her gaze to the sizable crowd of woodland critters watching them eagerly. Apple thought she could see a wolf skulking around at the back.

“Oh,” she turned red, mortified. 

There was a snort next to her and she turned to see Darling giggling into her knees.

“Stop it,” Apple slapped her shoulder with her cloth without thinking. Dirty water spattered over Darling’s dress. “Oh my godmother- I’m so-”

Darling threw a wet strip of muslin at her, dousing her blouse. Apple’s mouth fell open. 

She looked up and Darling was laughing again, mud dripping down her hair and washing away the grease stain on her cheek. Apple stood up, carefully picking up a bucket of soapy water. 

Darling’s eyes widened just a second too late.

The water crashed over her head, drenching her entirely. Apple giggled, stumbling back before Darling grabbed her hand, pulling her close. 

For a second, the sensation of Darling’s skin on hers made little sparks dance over her hand and her brain went quiet, simply enjoying the pleasant warmth.

The next thing she knew Darling had shoved her head into another bucket, soaking her in the soapy water. She squealed and threw her head back, managing to catch Darling with the ocean of droplets clinging to her hair.

“Right,” Darling exclaimed, lunging to try and pick her up again. Apple danced away, jumping over the other buckets and metal piles before Darling caught her off guard and they fell to the ground as one.

They landed in a giggling heap, Apple’s face buried in Darling’s shoulder and Darling’s arms wrapped around her.

There was the crunch of stone and she looked up to see Daring Charming staring down at the two of them, covered in mud and cheeks red from laughing.

“Hey, big brother?” Darling tried, peering up at him upside down.

He slowly shook his head, holding his hands up. His blue eyes met Apple’s but they didn’t fill her with the same affection they had before. He was smiling, she realised. It was small but it was there. “Sure,” he laughed, turning back down the path with a new spring in his step.

Apple pushed herself up onto her elbows, tilting her head down at Darling. “Now what?” 

The other princess grinned. “Now we have our picnic.”

The night air was cool as it brushed along her arms and Gala burrowed into her lap to escape the faint chill. She exhaled, gazing out at the wall of dorms across from her, the school’s grounds peppered with yellow lights.

“Hey, Apple,” a soft voice interrupted and the blonde turned around, relaxing when she saw Ashlynn hovering by the door. “The birds told me you looked like you could use someone to talk to.”

Apple sighed, delicately scooting over so the ginger could sit on the floor next to her, arms resting on the windowsill. “Good evening.”

“Where’s Raven?” Ashlynn asked, glancing at the empty bed.

Apple shrugged. “She mentioned a hexclusive rebel party in the Enchanted Forest.”

Ashlynn settled down, scratching Gala’s ears. “I’m here,” she smiled at Apple. “If you want to start.”

Apple frowned slightly, staring up at the moon. Hopper had said the moon chased the sun but she couldn’t find it in herself to imagine the silver rock as anything beyond what it was on the surface. “How do you know when you’re in love?”

Ashlynn’s face softened. “So this is about Daring.” Apple gave a tired nod. Ashlynn smiled at her encouragingly. “You feel it in your heart. When every part of you wants to be with them and if they so much as glance at you it feels like running through a flower field in April as it rains.”

She pulled out a leather cord from her dress, flowers frozen in a glass charm.

“And when their hand touches yours, it's…” She sighed, clutching her pendant. “It's  _ magic _ .”

“So you just know?” Apple wrinkled her nose. “What if you get it wrong?”

“There are so many types of love, Apple. I love you and I love Briar and I love my mum. Why I love the Pied Piper when he gives me a good grade,” she giggled. “I love myself,” she nudged Apple’s shoulder. “And I love Hunter.”

The moon twinkled between them and they watched Sparrow Hood and Jillian Beanstalk try to sneak back into school without triggering any alarms. 

“Even if you do get some of them mixed up, the emotion is still _love_. I don’t think that’s the answer you want though, is it?”

Apple shook her head, laughing quietly. “Not hexactly.”

“The storybook love you wanted with Daring wasn’t there,” Ashlynn stated. “Apple, please trust me when I say your Prince Charming really  _ is  _ out there and when you two, well, ‘find’ each other, they’re going to be so, so proud to be yours. But I also know that they’re scared.”

Apple turned to her, brows furrowed.

“So please keep an open mind. Maybe it really is True Love.”

“It is,” Apple stated. “I’m  _ sure  _ of it.”

She bit her lip, staring out at the night. Someone’s light went off, leaving only a black wall. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever loved someone the storybook way,” she admitted. She thought of Daring’s smiles, Dexter’s intelligence, Sparrow’s impulsivity and Hunter’s chivalry. They weren’t…  _ lovely _ . Not the way Briar’s compliments had made her feel when they’d first met or how Raven’s occasional hugs still made butterflies erupt in her stomach or how sometimes she just looked at Darling and felt the rest of the world fading around them like the book was closing. Like she’d reached her happily ever after.

Ashlynn squeezed her hand, eyes shining with mirth. “I think you will soon.”

“And then Prince of Scales threw an itty bitty temper tantrum because I had to run to Creative Storytelling,” Holly O’Hair cooed. Raven awed and they started to laugh together, gossiping about the dragons.

Apple let her mind wander as they walked down the corridor, avoiding the crowds of students gathering by their lockers after lunch. She still needed to speak to Daring and while her talk with Ashlynn had been nice, now she was left with a whole other host of questions. Why would her Prince Charming be scared? Apple was confident that she would love him no matter what, so what else was there to be cautious of?

“Oh!” she tripped over a loose tile.

Warm arms suddenly caught her and she blinked up at Darling. “Hey,” the other blonde smiled.

“Hello,” Apple greeted, pleasantly surprised at the princesses appearance. It was like she always knew when Apple was in danger.

Their hands brushed and a spark travelled up their arms. 

“Static fairy dust,” Apple giggled. “I must have picked some up from Rumpelstiltskin’s lab!” 

Darling laughed awkwardly. “Yeah probably.” 

Apple was still in Darling’s arms. 

“This is familiar,” she teased and Apple groaned, letting her head drop to Darling’s shoulder. She had to say, the position  _ was _ shockingly comfortable. 

She heard the faint thud of Raven dropping her phone. 

(Raven blinked at the two of them. “I thought she didn’t know,” she mouthed at Darling. 

“She doesn’t,” Darling mouthed back. “This is… something else.”) 

“Soulmates,” Holly nodded wisely. 

Apple pulled away to blink at her. “Who’re soulmates?” 

Raven tried to stop glaring at the ginger, plastering a fake smile over her face. “Uh, Ashlynn and Hunter!” Raven told her. “They just walked past.” 

“Yep!” Darling nodded. “They were very cute. Holding hands even!” 

She tried to mimic this action by clasping her own hands together before realising she was somehow holding Apple’s. Slowly, they let go.

Holly blustered through an excuse, darting off. Raven started to follow her before bowling over Maddie.

“Oh hello, Raven!” the short girl chirped. “What are you doing on the floor?”

“You’re also on the floor,” Darling smiled down at her and Maddie gasped.

“Oh, if only it was four, then we could have tea on the floor for four at four,” she pouted. Her pout suddenly became rather pronounced as she forced her lips further and further out. Finally, she stopped. “Hehe, I was testing you!” she announced to the air.

“Narrators?” Raven rolled her eyes.

“Hexactly!” Maddie beamed. “Why you can’t have a story without a narrator, it's like a badger without a waistcoat!”

“Who's going to tell her badgers don’t wear waistcoats here,” Darling whispered and Apple giggled. She looked up and Raven was staring at her, not even trying to hide her disbelief.

“What does your narrator think about this?” the taller girl sighed.

Maddie hummed, licking her finger like she was trying to check the wind’s direction. “She’s all for it!” she cheered, pulling out a cramped jar of strangely non-broken cups. “Let’s have tea to spellabrate!” 

The bell rang and Maddie clapped, pulling Apple away with her.

“Time for Crownculus!”

The blonde twisted around in her grip. “Goodbye, Darling!”

“Charm you later!” Darling waved. “Literally! Or-uh-” she cut herself off, burying her face in her hands.

Raven patted her shoulder.

“What  _ is  _ Darling’s destiny?” Apple asked one day in the middle of the library. Blondie Lockes tilted her head so far she was almost parallel with the table. 

“Well, she was a nondescript damsel-in-distress! There were a few rumours that she would cover for the maiden in Hopper’s story or that she might even be the one in the Princess and the Pea, I heard that the previous one ran away to Neverland with one of the mermaids after her story ‘finished’!” Blondie interrupted herself to giggle before trailing off awkwardly. “But right now, no one’s really sure.”

Apple slumped down into her seat, which for her was to decrease the incline of her back by 4 degrees (any more and you might cause future back problems!). The thought of Hopper and Darling in a Happily Ever After together made something in the depths of her stomach twist unpleasantly. “That’s nice.”

Blondie hummed, going back to her General Villainy Question Pack. “It doesn’t matter anymore, though,” she smiled at Apple. 

Apple doodled a small flower in the corner of her Princessology notebook. Maybe it  _ didn’t _ matter. Maybe Raven really had destroyed the need to repeat stories for good. Maybe… maybe she didn’t need her Prince Charming.

“Now, which do you think is eviller, locking someone in a tower or a cellar? I swear these are trick questions…”

“I think I’m becoming a rebel,” Apple whispered, scandalised.

Blondie didn't react, frowning down at the paper. “I’m going to go with the tower. Cellars usually have food.”

“Good morning, Darling!” Apple trilled. The other princess sputtered, quickly shoving her books to the side so Apple could sit down. One of them clattered off the table. The Evil Step-Librarians glared at them. 

“Good morning,” she smiled up at Apple, swallowing. “Uh, want a pastry?” she offered her a cinnamon-dusted apple swirl.

Apple slid onto the exposed bench, eagerly taking the gift. “I was wondering if you knew about any books related to the politics of Hood Hollow, Raven told me you were spelltacular at research!”

Darling huffed out a laugh, pushing herself up. “Of course she did. Come on, follow me,” she offered Apple her hand and the princess eagerly took it, letting her lead her to one of the many nooks in the library. Apple glanced down at where Ashlynn and Hunter were studying together with identical flower crowns. “There isn’t much since it's kinda secretive, especially on the Wolfs’ side, and they have like no MirrorNet access but these might help?”

She handed Apple a small red book that looked like a diary, followed by another stack of paperbacks. 

“Ramona could help too, I know Cerise doesn’t really get involved with the main community.”

“Oh, thank you!” Apple gushed, carrying the pile back to their table. “That could have taken forever after, I usually use my hextbooks and the recommended reading so I’m hopeless at research projects like this!” That wasn’t strictly true, but Raven had technically been the one to recommend that she ask for Darling’s help so she didn’t feel that guilty about lying.

“Any time,” Darling shrugged, going back to her work with a smile on her face.

Apple bit her lip, glancing at the students around them. Most of them avoided her gaze and some were flushed. Subtly, she sniffed at her dress to make sure she hadn’t accidentally applied Raven’s Siren perfume.

She really  _ had  _ come for a reason though.

“Darling?” 

The other blonde looked up, her smile growing as she met Apple’s gaze.

“This might be a personal question,” Darling’s cheeks went apple red. “But why are you a rebel?”

Darling blinked, clearly caught off guard. “Well, I’m not technically a rebel if I don’t have a tale, right? If I  _ did _ have a story and it was one I liked,” she peeked at Apple through her hair. “I probably wouldn’t have any issue with it.” 

Apple pouted, resting her cheek on a dainty hand. “But you  _ are  _ a rebel.”

Darling nodded hesitantly. “Is that a problem?”

“No!” Apple rushed to reassure her. “It's fine, it's great even! I’m just trying to understand why.”

Darling bit her lip, subtly peering at the people around them. “I’ll show you.”

Apple watched her pull out a thick book from her bag, the spine cracked and worn.

Darling opened it to a large double-page spread of a yellowed map. Parts of it looked hand-drawn and there were little labels and annotations in the margins. Darling tapped the page. “What’s that?”

Apple frowned. “It's a map of Ever After.”

“And what’s  _ there _ ?” Darling tapped the space east of the page.

Apple blinked. “Well, there’s the lands of Winter and you’ll find Neverland if you keep going, the Sea Kingdom is-”

Darling started to laugh, her hair bobbing around her face freely. She really was quite pretty, Apple realised before turning crimson. “But besides all that! What’s further? What’s at the edge of the world and how long does it take to get there? Are there waterfalls or volcanoes? I want to go  _ adventuring _ , Apple, and I can’t do that if I’m stuck here kissing frogs and all that fairytale nonsense.”

Apple bit her lip. Clearly Blondie wasn’t the only one familiar with that rumour. 

“What about you?” Darling asked quietly. “Why are you a royal?”

“Well,” Apple sighed, idly feeding a dove that had jumped up onto their table, nuzzling against her hand. “It's the right thing to do. It's how everything’s  _ always  _ been done. I don’t want to be the one to ‘rock the boat’,” she crooked her fingers. 

“But you’ve finished your tale,” Darling murmured. “Technically. Now what?”

“I marry my Prince Charming and shadow my mother while she runs the kingdom until I can take over as queen when I’m 22.” Her shoulders slumped. “It doesn’t sound terribly exciting when I lay it out like that.”

“Who says you have to be queen at 22?” Darling challenged, grinning at her.

“It's when I become eligible for the throne,” Apple answered honestly. 

“But it's not when you have to take over,” Darling pointed out. “You could…” she bit her lip and Apple watched her perfectly white teeth rest on the plump - Godmother she needed to get more sleep! “You could come adventuring with me until then.”

Apple’s eyes widened, snapping back to the conversation. “What about my Prince Charming?”

Darling rubbed her neck. “Maybe you’ll find them adventuring.”

Apple stayed silent, looking down at her essay on ‘Proper Posture while Trapped in a Dragon Tower’ for Damsel-in-Distressing. It wasn't  _ wrong _ to admit that Darling’s idea was interesting, maybe even fun. She glanced up at where Darling was twisting a lock of messy hair around her finger, metal boots tapping against the floor and tanned skin glowing in the library lights. “You really think so?”

Their eyes met - two shades of blue colliding into an ocean between them. Apple thought that as long as she had Darling with her, she wouldn’t be afraid to sail any sea the storybooks threw at them.

“Yeah,” Darling breathed. “I really do.”

“I find all of the dragons kind of scary,” Cedar Wood whispered. “I mean, wood mixed with fire, nothing good ever comes from that!”

“Maybe we could install force fields to protect the spectators,” Apple wondered, jotting down the idea in her Royal Student Council binder. “Ooh, congestion,” she murmured, writing that down too. 

“Hey Apple,” Cedar nudged her. “Your tale’s done, right?”

“Absolutely!” Apple exclaimed, her smile making her cheeks ache. This lie was slightly easier, maybe she really  _ was  _ a rebel. “And it was all royally perfect!”

“So what does a Happily Ever After feel like?” Cedar asked. “Cause the whole school’s been wondering about it, ever since Darling woke you up-” Cedar slapped her hands over her mouth.

Apple faltered. “What?”

“Well,” Cedar screwed her face up like she was trying to force the words back down. “Farrah told Meeshell who told Justine who told Nina who told me that you and Darling were totally ever after awesome soulmates!”

Apple felt like her lungs were closing up, shrivelling into nothing.

“So I thought that that meant that you knew she was your Prince Charming - I mean  _ True Loves Kiss! _ \- but then I realised that everyone was keeping it a secret from you in case you freaked out and rejected her and then there was the whole ‘oh was it CPR or a kiss’ but I mean really - it was clearly True Love!”

Apple dropped her book. Three boys promptly dived to retrieve it for her. “ _ What _ ?”

Cedar winced. “Sorry, Apple.”

“I thought we were friends!” Apple cried, words muffled by the blankets she’d buried her face into. “You… villain!”

Raven sighed. Apple threw a fuzzy heart pillow at her. 

“No one told me anything! Not you, not Briar, not even Blondie and she can never resist a scoop!” 

“Apple,” Raven carefully put a hand on her shoulder. “This is storybook serious.  _ True Loves Kiss  _ is a kinda big deal. And we’re kids!” Gala jumped up onto the bed, nudging Apple lovingly. “The school didn’t like Hunter and Ashlynn, how would they feel about this?”

“Well, the school already knows, don’t they!” Apple wailed, kicking her feet into the air. “Sparrow Hood knows! I cannot believe you, Raven Queen! We’re  _ roommates _ !”

“Apple…”

The blonde poked her head out of her blanket pile, lamenting this twist in fate. How was she supposed to tell her mother? How was she supposed to carry on her tale? How was she going to tell Darling that she knew? Would it change things? It had to… But she didn’t want things to change! “Do you think Darling hates me?”

“Godmother, no!” Raven rushed to reassure her. “Apple, she’s probably just as confused as you are.”

“Scared,” Apple murmured, bringing her knees up to her chest. “Ashlynn said she was scared. Oh, I’m such an idiot!” she started crying again.

“You know,” Raven joined her until they were both on Apple’s bed, leaning against the wall. “We all thought you’d figured it out. The way the two of you were hanging out, you just seemed so charming!”

Apple sniffed, reaching for a monogrammed handkerchief. “But now she knows how stupid I am. She’ll never want a princess like me!” She threw herself back into a pile of cushions. One of them bounced up and hit Raven in the head.

“We both know that’s not true,” Raven soothed. “Usually you’re better at this whole social thing than I am,” she mused. “But I guess love does make fools out of us.”

Apple let out another whimper.

“Look, I’m gonna go and get us some food,” Raven patted her shoulder again. “Take all the time you need.”

She heard the door softly click.

“Curses,” Apple rubbed at her eyes. Maybe if she avoided Darling for the rest of her life she could marry Daring the way she was supposed to? No one had to know what had happened and her mother would never find out. 

“Princess this, prince that,” a familiar voice pouted, perching herself on top of Apple’s wardrobe. Kitty Cheshire frowned down at her. “Why does everyone here care so much about who you love? Ever After is so peculiar.”

“What’s it like in Wonderland?” Apple asked, wiping away another flurry of tears. Kitty didn’t look away and Apple couldn’t help but think her terribly rude. 

Kitty shrugged, stretching herself over Apple’s mirror until she was upside down. “You love someone and if they love you back, you both go off loving each other. If they don’t, the next day you love someone else.”

“Just like that?” Apple murmured. Maybe she could try to go back to loving Daring. It didn’t have to be true love, it only had to be… tolerable. If she pleaded with him, he might take her back.

“It's awfully easy to fall in love when you know what to look for.”

Apple bit her lip. “Oh.” 

What to look for? Like a smile, or a sense of humour, or intelligence… Apple squeezed her eyes shut.

The door swung open and Raven cursed.

“Get out Kitty!” she warned. “I’m not afraid of using the spray bottle!”

“Daring,” Apple murmured. “We should talk.”

The blond boy glanced at Hopper before nodding. “You’re right.” She watched him hesitate over his bag of mirrors before leaving them behind, following her out to the school gardens. 

A few kids noticed them before smartly moving away and leaving the hanging garden almost deserted. A few birds chirped their hellos, perching on Apple’s shoulders and Daring’s crown. He smiled slightly, petting a small grey bird. 

Before long, they reached a large lily pond, settling down on the grass in the shade of a weeping willow. Absent-mindedly, Apple picked up one of the fronds that had already fallen and started to weave it into a tight circle. “It's nice to see you.”

“You too,” he nodded, gazing out at the lily pond. “I’ve been doing some thinking and, well. We’re clearly not… meant to be,” he sighed, resting his chin on his hand.

“But we could still make it work!” Apple grabbed his wrists. “Our parents don’t have to know how wrong things went as long as we-”

“You want to betray Darling?” Daring drew back. 

“No, that’s not- I-” she looked away, pulling her hands back. “I’m just fairy scared.”

“Me too,” Daring murmured. “I didn’t know who I was when that kiss didn’t work! I’ve spent my whole life preparing to kiss and wake you - do you know how many hours I spent in front of the mirror perfecting the hair flip I would do when your eyes opened? - and now everything’s different.”

“Do you think I should still try to find my Happily Ever After?” Apple asked quietly. “With… you know.”

Daring smiled like it was the only thing stopping him from crying. “True Loves Kiss doesn’t lie. Besides,” he laughed handsomely. “So many maidens need a prince charming, it would be cruel to tie myself to one when I’m this young!”

Apple giggled. “Do you have your eye on anyone special?”

“Well,” he shrugged bashfully. He seemed like a completely different person but Apple found that she quite liked it. “Not to spoil the story but there is someone.”

“Dooo I know them?” she batted her eyes at him. 

“Hexes,” he cursed. “You know I can’t lie to you when you do that!” Apple laughed. “Rosabella Beauty?” 

“Briar’s cousin?” Apple tilted her head. “Oh! So would that make you the…”

“Beast,” Daring sighed. He sounded resigned but pleased. “I guess neither of us got the fairytale destinies we were hexpecting.”

“I’m happy for you,” Apple smiled, pleasantly surprised to find that she wasn't lying. “You two will be a fairy good couple.”

“So will you and, uh,” Daring glanced at her. “You and Darling.”

Apple bit her lip. “She  _ is  _ the most attractive Charming.”

He nudged her shoulder playfully as she laughed. “I’ll hext you for any advice on wooing my heroine,” he promised. “I just really like her.”

“What does it feel like?” Apple asked, thinking back to her conversation with Ashlynn.

“I don’t know,” Daring shrugged. “But when she’s with me it feels like as long as she’s smiling, I want to be right there beaming next to her. She makes me want to be better. To be… charming.”

“For what it's worth,” Apple told him. “And without breaking Princess Code… I think she likes you too.”

Daring gasped. “Seriously? She asked for my help on a Beast Care project the other week, Headmaster Grimm thought I should take it after the Winter adventure, and I told her I knew everything about it. I don’t know anything! I don’t even know what a Vaquita  _ is _ !” 

“Apple White!” Dexter fumbled with his flashcards. “I came here today with the intention to present you with a ‘shovel talk’ as it is commonly known!”

Apple and Raven looked at each other.

“I’m gonna go,” Raven backed out the room. “Knock her dead!”

“Uh, go for it, Dexter!” Apple clapped, offering him a seat on one of her and Raven’s chairs. She didn’t miss the fact that he settled onto one of the more normal-looking purple ones with a fond smile.

“It's come to my attention that you and my twin sister Darling Charming are going to be engaging in a relationship henceforth-”

“Well, we don’t really know what we’re going to do,” Apple pulled a face. “I’m sorry for interrupting, please carry on!”

“Wait, you’re  _ not  _ dating?” Dexter asked, blinking at her. He slumped, putting his flashcards back in his pocket. “These are basically useless then.”

“I appreciate the effort,” she assured him. “It's really sweet that you care so much about her!”

“They were originally drafted for you and Daring,” Dexter admitted. “I had to tweak and reword some of the points for her. There was a whole section on how he has meltdowns when you clean his mirrors wrong!”

“Well, that’s nice.”

“I just wanted you to be prepared,” Dexter put his head in his hands. “I’m ever after awful at this.”

“Have you ever considered joining the Debate club?” she asked, pulling out one of her colour-coded notebooks and flipping it to a new page. “It could really help you gain more confidence - your points already seem defined with a good structure which suggests you can organise things satisfactorily.”

He blinked. “What?”

“Oo, look!" She tapped the page, eager to change the subject. “Hopper joined this year to help him elaborate on his speech and he’ll be someone you can talk to if you’re worried about going alone!”

“Oh,” he mumbled. “Well, maybe. I am  _ usually  _ good at talking. It's just love gets me all…” he flushed. “Tongue-tied.”

“Then I’ll organise a day where we discuss different forms of affection,” she beamed at him. “I’m sure Hopper would appreciate it,” she giggled. “Do you want me to sign you up now, or do you want to wait for the next term?”

Apple went through the rest of the week with her head down trying to avoid as many people as she practically could. It didn’t help that Briar had started making excuses whenever she asked to hang out and Ashlynn kept ‘taking new shifts’ at the Glass Slipper. Her mother still hadn’t called and Apple couldn’t quite tell if that was good or bad. 

She smiled at Daring or Dexter in the corridors and clung to Raven whenever they went out but it was when she’d asked Rosabella to meet that evening and the brunette had immediately turned her down, suggesting that she just stay in school, that truly brought her mood down into something that must have been on the evil spectrum.

Pushing open the doors to the common room, confetti exploded in her face.

“Happy finding out you really like princesses over princes but we understand you may also still like princes and just like princesses as well which is totally hexcellent too day!” everyone chorused, trailing off a little towards the end.

“I knew I should have made it catchier,” Briar tapped her chin. “Apple White, you’ve found the light? Feel the lesbian might? No that sounds like a threat… uh, surprise!”

She popped another fairy confetti cannon in Apple’s face.

“Did you guys do all this for me?” Apple asked, looking around the artfully decorated common room: there were rainbows on just about every surface and the desks had been covered in food and drinks. She could see Melody jamming out in the corner while Bunny and Alistair were dancing together by the bookshelves.

“Everything's a party,” Briar grinned, slinging an arm over her shoulder. “Especially when it involves my best friend forever after!”

“I just don’t understand why your banner says princesses,” Blondie sniffed, indicating the detailed words spelling out ‘HOORAY, YOU’RE GAY!’ and then in the corner in small letters ‘or at least into princesses as well as princes!’.

Apple glanced at Briar.

“We didn’t want to assume,” the brunette shrugged.

“But still!” Blondie pouted. “Not everyone is a ‘proper’ royal like you two!”

“Every girl’s a princess in their heart, Blondie,” Briar reassured her. “Come on, Ginger made apple cinnamon cupcakes!”

Blondie sighed, turning back to Apple. “Just so you know, I think you and Darling are the absolute cutest couple I’ve ever seen and you’re already a shoo-in for the Top Fairytale Romances poll I’m going to launch next week!” she patted her shoulder before heading over to where a group of Wonderlandians were playing highly expressive chess. 

For a second, the crowd cleared and Apple saw Darling laughing with Maddie, cups in both of their hands.

“You gonna talk to her?” Briar asked, handing her a cup of her own. Apple bit her lip, looking away. 

“What if she rejects me?”

“Rejects  _ you _ ?” Briar spat up her drink. “Apple, everyone thought you were gonna reject  _ her _ ! She’s utterly spellbound by you.”

Apple swallowed. “I think I might be too.”

“Aww, my BFFA’s growing up so fast!” Briar moved to hug her before Apple pushed her away. “Uh, what?”

“Aren’t you worried I’ll like you?” Apple whispered, eyes wide. “What if  _ it _ infects you too?”

Briar blinked at her. “Who told you that? Give me names, I’ll make Faybelle curse them.”

She tossed her hair back and enveloped Apple in the tightest bear hug she’d ever had.

“You’re my best friend,” Briar murmured into her shoulder. “I don’t care who you kiss when the book’s closed.”

Apple crumpled, hugging her fiercely back. “Thank you.”

“Now,” Briar’s gaze met Hopper’s and Apple watched her smile. “Go get some good old fashioned True Love from your Princess Charming.”

From outside, they could still hear the party and Apple could make out the faint sounds of Raven shredding it on the guitar.

“So much for a small get together,” Darling laughed. “I swear, Briar doesn’t do anything halfway.”

Apple giggled, taking a small sip from her drink. All things considered, it wasn’t  _ that  _ bad. Maybe she owed Faybelle an apology, she mused. “She’s a really good friend,” she sighed, leaning heavily onto the railing. “They all are.”

“Friends are good,” Darling hummed. The moon twinkled knowingly and Apple could imagine it was smiling down at her. “I never thanked you by the way, for helping me with my armour. I got an A on the cleanliness part of the course.”

“Well, you helped me get an A on my politics project,” Apple smiled. “Guess we’re a good team after all.”

“Did you, uh,” Darling swallowed. “Did you  _ want _ to be on a team with me?”

Apple turned to her, putting her drink down. She motioned for Darling to do the same and the other girl obeyed, looking confused.

“Apple?”

Carefully, Apple took her hands in hers and squeezed. “Darling, I’ve believed in fairytale nonsense since I was a nursery rhyme making you birthday necklaces.”

The other girl didn’t say anything, staring at her with wide sky blue eyes.

“And I would find it completely, utterly charming to be on your team.”

“Apple,” Darling breathed. “I… Now what?”

“Well, if storybooks have taught me anything,” Apple looked down, cheeks flushing (It was just like they’d practised in Damsel-in-Distressing!). “I think the princess has to reward her hero with a kiss.” 

Darling gently cupped her cheek. “You don’t have to.”

Apple cupped hers in return, laughing when Darling went red. “I room with  _ Raven Queen _ . I don’t think anyone’s ever going to be able to make me do anything I don’t want to ever again!”

She pulled Darling into a warm embrace and just like that, their lips brushed, somehow finding each other perfectly in the darkness.

And would you look at that, maybe Raven’s determination  _ had  _ rubbed off on her.

Light exploded between them and Apple wound her arms around Darling’s shoulders while tanned hands rested themselves on her waist.

It felt like the fairy dust she’d been trying to synthesize for her Chemythstry project and the little tingly sweets Ginger gave her when she lost focus in Cooking Class-ic and pure, unrestrained  _ magic _ .

“Oh,” Darling pulled back, little golden lights dancing through the air before fizzling out. 

It was all so achingly familiar and if Apple had known that all it would take to prove that Darling Charming was her one true love was a kiss, she would have made out with her on the ground of the pixie’s clearing, with all that that entailed.

“Will you be my girlfriend?” Darling asked, still holding Apple in a perfect bundle of warmth. “I make really nice apple scones.”

“Will you be my queen?” Apple returned. “I’m royally good at cleaning armour.”

Darling’s beam put the sun to shame and Apple was confident she’d follow her anywhere.

“I think my uncle has a boat,” she blurted out without thinking. 

Darling's silver-blue eyes crinkled across at her. Apple couldn't stop herself from smiling helplessly back. “Then let’s go adventuring.”

And, in true fairytale fashion, they lived Happily Ever After.

The door slammed open. 

“You guys kissed?” Maddie squealed.

**Author's Note:**

> a few things no one can change my mind about:  
> \- Blondie takes general Villainy  
> \- Hopper and Briar would be the cutest thing  
> \- kudos and comments make the world go round <3
> 
> so for most of this summer, I've been working on my bnha multichapter fics and you have NO IDEA how hard it was to keep from swearing in this lol
> 
> [tumblr :)](https://prettylittlespirit.tumblr.com/)


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